Asmara City

[Asmara] represents perhaps the most concentrated and intact assemblage of Modernist architecture anywhere in the world.

UNESCO

Preserving modern architecture can extend to preserving an entire city. Brasilia is a famous example of a modern city designed of a piece; Asmara is a less well-known example. In the 1930s, the town of Asmara was developed into an incredibly futuristic city by the Italian government, which had colonized Eritrea. The modernistic forms of many of the buildings—and hence the city—are at risk from the piecemeal introduction of new elements. Because of its architectural value and current relative integrity, Asmara is tentatively slated to become a UNESCO world heritage site. Inscription, however, would not prevent further change.